USC Football Recruiting: 5 Reasons Why the Trojans Have Been so Hot with Verbals

They're Back...!!!

Not unlike that cryptic line from ghost pictures of yore, the USC Trojans have announced to the world that they are indeed back from the NCAA imposed graveyard to haunt their opponents in the world of college football.

After posting a 10-2 record and a top ten finish in the polls with the guts to rank them, Lane Kiffin's crew now take a 2012 preseason top three ranking into a season where huge things are expected from them.

And the Trojans dominance extends beyond the field of play.

In the world of recruiting—the life blood of any college football program--USC has returned to being the "hot ticket" that they were not so long ago in the Pete Carroll era.

But how did this happen? How can a team entering the second year of sanctions that have removed 30 scholarships over three seasons receive so many verbal pledges from elite prep studs?

As of this writing, USC has received five verbal commitments, including two Scout.com 5-star players (quarterback Max Browne and defensive lineman Kenny Bigelow) as well as three 4-star players.

It's impressive to be certain, but it isn't "luck" that is drawing these players to USC. No, there are specific reasons for the Trojans success, and this slideshow will look at the top five.

Eat your heart out, college football world.

No. 5: Location, Location, LOCATION!

When I stumbled out of bed at 6:00 a.m. this morning, I trudged outside to pick up my daily newspaper.

While on my excursion, I was met by cloudless sky whose promise of perfect weather would be delivered as it had been so many days before.

Just another day in the Los Angeles southland.

When high profile recruits fly west to visit USC, they are almost always met with what residents of LA take for granted.

Couple that with the abundance of attractions, beaches, mountains, fine dining and slews of celebrities, and it is easy to see why starry-eyed youngsters are so enamored with playing in Los Angeles.

So why is location only No. 5 on this list?

Simple.

It can't be higher, otherwise, how does one explain the Trojans cross-town rivals, UCLA?

No. 4: Trojans Return to Power

When quarterback Matt Barkley announced that he would return to USC for his senior year, it made the Trojans instant contenders for the BCS title game.

But even if you set Barkley's "unfinished business" aside, the men of Troy have thrust themselves back into the conversation of the nation's elite teams by going 10-2 last year with no bowl game to play for.

Included in that record was a triple overtime loss to Stanford and a couple of very impressive victories on the road against Oregon and Notre Dame.

The path that the Trojans are now on can't help but be impressive to young players who want to be part of something big.

No. 3: NCAA's Unintended Sanctions Consequences

Boy, you have to hand it to the "geniuses" at the NCAA—they sure stuck to those impertinent Trojans didn't they?

When the powers that be who administer college football punished USC with unheard of penalties in the form of a two-year bowl ban and loss of 30 scholarships over three years, it was with the notion that the Trojans would take a nose dive and have plenty of time at the bottom of the barrel to consider their errant ways.

Oops.

Although USC did have a down year (by their standards) in 2010, Lane Kiffin and his staff had righted the ship by year #2 which produced a 10-2 record.

In 2012, the Trojans are a preseason favorite to win it all.

Now, about those "unintended consequences."

Although there is no denying that USC would love to have those scholarships back, the fact that they are operating with a limited amount of free rides has created a sense of urgency for those young men who want to play for the cardinal and gold.

The result? The Trojans already have secured five verbal commitments from some of the top players in the nation with more to follow soon.

Look for USC, despite being shackled with limited "scholllies," to have another top ten recruiting class in 2013. It will take shape much earlier than otherwise expected, because the recruits know they can't "sit" on a Trojan offer.

How does that taste, NCAA?

No. 2: The Trojans Have One of the Best Recruiting Staffs in the Nation

When Lane Kiffin took the USC job and brought Ed Orgeron back with him, Trojan fans knew they would have a dynamic set of recruiters.

With Kiffin at the helm "sealing the deal" and Orgeron—with his unbridled enthusiasm—delivering the goods, the Trojans continue to draw the very best prep talent in the nation.

But it goes much deeper than that.

Top to bottom, the recruiting department has cast their nets far and wide, and the results have been outstanding.

Even new coaches Tee Martin, Marvin Sanders and Scottie Hazleton have gotten into the act with Martin and Sanders delivering a verbal from Scout.com 4-star receiver, Eldridge Massington.

The recruiting year is still young, but Trojan fans are just sitting back and eagerly waiting for this staff to secure some new studs to don the cardinal and gold.

It's kind of like kids at Christmas...

No. 1: It's USC

The tradition, academics, coaching, proven fast track to NFL, weather, location, girls, etc., etc., etc.

Nowhere else can offer the total college football experience that USC can. Period.

And although it may appear that this is just the incoherent ramblings of a rabid fan, the fact of the matter is that what the Trojans bring to the table is extremely difficult for other programs to match.

For so many reasons that can't be adequately enumerated in just one slideshow, the No. 1 reason for why some of the top recruits are giving pledges early to the Trojans can be summed up in just two words:

"It's USC."